The story of Septim - The young mage
by AnnElfwind
Summary: Septim found an interesting book in the library. But when he finds a strange entry on it's last page, he's determined to get to the bottom of it! What will he have to go through to do so? (Will be slash)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Seriously, what is it with me and publishing another fanfic... Well, whatever. I started this as an experiment. I don't have any idea where this is going. But maybe you will like it...

**Obligatory disclaimer: **Don't own Grimrock. Only the plotline and Septim. As well as teh Book of Life idea (At least used in this way). At least I don't think anyone ever used it in this way.

Okay. Here's the story!

**PART 1**

Septim used to be just a lowly mage apprentice. Until... That fatefull day when he found the book. It told of a legend long forgottern. About a man of legendary strength that was condemed to Mount Grimrock. What was his crime? Noone knows. Maybe he killed the king, maybe he didn't do anything and was just feared for his power. Nontheless, the book detailed his life before Grimrock and was written during the time he spent waiting in a cell.

Not only did the book tell Septim about a lot of obscure spells and tricks, it also told many theoreis of Grimrock itself. About it being sentient and of the horrors that supposedly live there to guard it.

And then it came. The chapter about the Undying one. A monstrous thing that could destroy the whole world. And this got Septim to think.

"Why would the king send people there if it could mean the Undying one's release...?" Howeever, the answer was eluding him.

So the only thing he could do was read further until he cmae to the last entry.

_I'm runnign out of time. Today they will come and take me there. I am not sure if I am going to survive. However, I will take this chance and try to uncover the secrets of this prison..._

There was nothing more then this on the page. Septim turned to the next one and was surprised to find another entry. This one hurried and almost illegible.

He squinted and read:

_To you, who are reading this. If you are willing to help me, find the Book of Life in the forbidden library and make sure to remember page 57. It is the only way to..._

Septim turned again, but there was the back cover and the only thign there was a year. It was dated almost three hundred years back. He turned back and looked at the incomplete sentence again.

"The only way to what...?" he muttered.

"Oh well... Only one way to find out," he told himself and went to grab his shoes. With one last glance to the book, he opened the door to his room and went to the main library, where the entrance to the forbidden one was.

Sneaking through the corridors was easy. It was three in the morning and noone was up. His skills in detection were high enough to be able to elude all the monitoring spells placed to alert teachers of wandering apprentices.

Entering the library was easy too. However, now was the time when the main test starts – entering the forbidden library. It won't be easy and Septim knew that. Still, he was too curious for his own good sometimes. And sometimes it worked for him just fine. He just hoped this was one of the times.

He was now standing in front of the door leading there. Wary of enchantments he knew would be there, he didn't dare touch the door just yet. Mumbling a few words and weawing a spell he learned from Toorum's book, the doorway glowed and Septim was surprised that there was only one spell. One, that was very easy to dismantle at that.

Suspicious suspicious!

The lad was in a hurry though, therefore, forgoing any and all caution, he recited another spell thus dispelling the one on the door. Septim opened it and at the same time he heard the door to the main library creak.

_Typycal that they would find me now!_

Hurriedly Septim sliped in the forbidden library and closed the door behind himself. He put his ear on the door in order to listen if the intruder would go in his direction, but heard nothing. Still, deciding that he should be as quiet as possible, he slowly turned around and was faced with long hallway lit by magical torches.

_Now to find that book..._ he mused and made his way through and into the main part of the forbidden library.

"Holly shit!" he whispered when he walked into the main hall. There were rows and rows of books in so many bookcases that the end was nowhere to be seen.

"How the hell am I supposed to find one specific book in this?" groused Septim, but he was determined to be succesfull. He wanted the book. He wanted to help Toorum, even if he was already dead. He wanted to follow the man he looked upon as a sort of mentor.

Wandering around, his legs brought him to a stand that held a huge lether-bound book. Septim blinked, but followed his instincts and opened it. And there, was the registry. Every book in the library was listed there with its placement noted right next to it. And it was alphabetical!

Quickly, Septim flicked to the B section and found the book of life. It was in the row 97 somwhere. Well, at least it narrowed it down. Closing the enormous book, he went in search of the correct row of shelves.

After some wandering, he found the correct place and started scanning the books, till finally he found the correct one. It was in the corner of the bottom shelf. Mostly hidden. Septim took it and was surprised at how small it was. And then he heard it! Footsteps and they were close!

"Shit!" he whispered and quickly found the correct page. Scanning it, there was only one thing there. A spell.

Not really thinking, he tore the page out and hid it in his hairtie. Then he stuffed the book back and grabbed a random one from the shelf opposite of the one the Book of Life was on. And just in time! Because at that precise moment the archmage and his guards appeared and when they spotted him, they, of course, arrested him on site.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I know people want The Eagle of Hogwarts, but this is what I have. The Eagle of Hogwarts is being written, but it's slow, mainly because I don't really know where exactly I'm taking the story and while I'm trying to follow at least something from HP book 5, I don't remember it wery well... So be ready for anything.

**Obligatory disclaimer: **I don't own Legend of Grimrock, I _do_ however own Septim and the book of life idea that will be explained more as the story progresses.

Okay, enough talk, here's the story.

**PART 2**

I was siting in a dark dank cell with nothing other than wool trousers on. The rest of my belongings was destroyed without so much as looking through them. In a way, that was good, because it ment they didn't find Toorum's book. On the other hand, it ment that I had nothing... And that was not good!

Wondering what will happen now, I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. However, I was snaped out of my musings when footsteps echoed in the hall outside of the cell. I sat a bit straighter and waited for the person to come so that I could see who it was.

Turns out it was the archmage.

"You do know what the punishment is for entering the forbidden library, right?" he asked.

"Yes, I do know," I answered. "It's death."

"However, you're young and a promissing mage. Therefore, I decided to lessen your punishemnt in some way. Instead of being killed, you will be thrown into Grimrock and if you can survive and make your way out of there, you will be given another chance with the mages, understand?"

"Yes sir," I replied and tried to maintain neutral face, though inside, I was doing a victory dance. They didin't find the page I hid in my hairtie and they were sending me to Grimrock, exactly what I was planning anyway! The only thing was that I won't have my things to make it easier. _Oh well, will just have to find stuff inside the Mount Grimrock..._

"You will be transported tomorrow," and with that, the archmage left.

I was woken by the door to my cell being opened. I stood and allowed the guard to bind my wrists in front of me. Then I was lead out of the cell and through the halls into an open courtyard where a huge blimp was waiting.

From a different door, three chained people were being led by a group of soldiers and when they joined me and my escort, we were all taken into the huge aircraft.

The ship took off and started on its way to Mount Grimrock to drop us into the hole on top of the mountain.

When we landed, me and the other three were led to a huge hole in the ground. After that, the general told us that if we make it through, we will be free people. And just when he ended his speach, the other soldiers pushed us in..

I was expecting that and started chantind immediately to slow down my fall. I would have done the same for the others, bit my abilities weren't that strong, yet. Not even with Toorum's training. I landed last.

The first thing I did when I landed, was to chant a spell to break the chains on my wrists. When they fell to the floor, my hand shot for my hairtie. And only when my fingers touched the hidden page I let out a sigh of relief and relaxed slightly.

After that, I turned towards the other three prisoners. They landed in a heap and were unconscious. Also, they were shackeled together. Debating wether I should unlock those shackels or wait after talking with them, I decided that if I unlock them right away, they might be more inclined to work together with me. And I knew I would need help in order to defeat the mountain.

I went closer and mumbled the correct words. The shackels fell to the floor and all that was left was for them to wake up.

_Might as well look around the room while I wait,_ I decided and stood up. Then I started checking the walls and all the alcoves, but I didn't go near the torch in fear of accidentaly killing us all. We were all relatively safe while the gate was closed. And I planned to keep it that way, for now.

After several minutes of searching, I found a weird stone. It looked more like a button... Curious as ever, I pressed it and waited for something to happen. And happen it did. First it was a low rumble, but then a whole piece of wall slid away revealing hidden space. Slowly, I approached it and peeked inside, hoping for nothing hostile to be there. I was in luck. There was a pair of boots and a shuriken. I took all, putting the boots on and placing the shuriken in one of them, like one would with a hidden knife. Then I looked in the alcove again and studied the statue that was there. It was ugly. And it seemed familiar.

At first, I couldn't place it, but then it dawned on me. It was a statue of a creature called a Goromorg. It was all in Toorum's book. They were all strong elemental mages with natural shields that took many hits before they dissipated.

I was snapped out of my musings by a groan from the pile of people in the middle of the room. I turned and moved closer to them.

After several more minutes, they were all coherent and talking and snapping at each other. Completely ignoring me, of course.

"Ehm?" I tried.

The efect was immediate. All three head snapped in my direction.

"The hell?!" one of them said very loudly.

"What he means, is: How are you so clam?" chimed in another one.

"Doesn't matter, how do we get out of here?" said the last one, probably the most sane of them.

"Well, I'd say we start with introductions," I suggested.

"Name's Kyron," said the first one. "I was thrown here because I protected Tiny here," he indicated to the second guy, "from a bunch of guards. I'm good with axes, by the way."

"I'm not Tiny!" was the first thing we heard when Kyron stopped talking.

"Of course you are!" laughed Kyron. "Just look at yourself."

"Moving on," I said forcefully.

"Oh, yes, okay," said the small guy. "I'm called Mist, and the guards were after me because I was dared to sneak into the royal palace. I'm good with daggers and throwing things."

When I heard that, I thought for a moment, but then I reached into my new boot and took the shuriken. I threw it to Mist, thinking he could probably put it to better use than me.

"Huh?"

"You might need it," was the only thing I said. Then I turned expectingly to the last guy.

"I'm Astarael, an ex-royal guard. They sentenced me here after the queen was found dead. I don't know who killed her, but the blame was placed on me. I'm fast and good with a blade. My preference is for a light weight longsword. And who might you be?"

My theory about this guy being the sane one was proven correct. He had a leveld head and could probably prove usefull in dire situations.

"I'm Septim. I used to be an apprentice at the mage's academy. One day I found an interesting book that was written by a man who was sentenced to Grimrock about three hundered years ago. it was his sort of journal. He wrote there something that got me into trouble. People say I'm too curious for my own good and this time, I was unlucky. I was caught in the forbidden library."

"Are you sure you were unlucky?" Astarael asked him.

"Yes. They destroyed all my things," I answered with a pout.

"And yet you still have the most important one," was Astarael's mysterious response. "Shall we try to figure how to get out of here?"

"How about the grate?" suggested Kyron sarcastically.

"We should be carefull," I warned them. "This place is full of dangers."

"Nothing I can't handle," laughed Kyron.

"Do not underestimate this place," Astarael said and quietly walked to the grate, where Mist was already checking things out.

"It's stuck," announced Mist when the we reached him.

"Move over," snapped Kyron.

"Wait!" I stopped. him. He looked at me and I continued: "Look, there's some writing on the wall," I pointed it out to the others.

"Looks like chicken scratch to me," piped Mist.

"No," I said. "It's runes."

"Can you translate it?" Astarael asked.

"It roughly translates to something about taking the torch or roting here forever."

"Take the torch?" Asked Kyron. "What does that mean? Do they mean it literaly?"

"In this case, I'd say yes, but in the future, we will have to probably prceed with more caution," I said. And when I finished talking, Astarael reached around me and took the torch from it's holder.

Just like I prediceted, the grate slid up and the passage was free.


	3. Chapter 3

"Let's go," suggested Astarael and wend first.

"Sure," was Kyron's reply as he followed closely behind.

Mist was next to walk through the opening. I was last and just in case the torch gave up on us, I whispered a light spell. One that was easy to cancel, but will actually hold till I do.

"What was that?!" Kyron's head snapped in my direction.

"Just a light spell. In case the torch burns out," I answered.

"Save your breath, there are many torches around," Kyron rolled his eyes.

"That might be, but I'm guessing that the lower we get, the fewer torches there will be," said Astarael with a calm voice.

"So do we stock up on them?" asked Mist.

"Might not be a bad Idea," I said after thinking about it for a while.

"Why? I mean, you can just conjure a light, right?" sounded Kyron.

"Because this first grate was opened by taking out a torch, maybe there are others that can be opened by putting a torch in?" I mused.

"He has a point," Mist was trying to persuade Kyron.

"Fine, but I ain't carrying them."

"Don't worry, I will..." I said before they could start arguing.

"How many do you think we should take?" Astarael turned to me.

"Seven? Eight? I think that might be enough..."

"Okay," Astarael said, "that means each of us will be carrying two torches. And no complaining!" the last part was directed to Kyron.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever..." was the man's reply.

Then we continued through the corridors and on our way, we took all the torches we saw. As well as the clothes we found in a side corridor with a dead end. And then Kyron spotted the mace. It was a crude weapon, made out of a rock tied to a stick. But he took it saying that he saw it first, just like the clothes before.

Noone argued with him. Astarael favored swords and Mist was better with short blades and throwing objects. And me? Well, I had my magic and Toorum's knowledge to help me. So we left the weapon for Kyron and continued through the gate after pulling the lever.

"Look there!" exclaimed Mist when we turned the corner.

"What? It's just a different colored tile, you idiot," replied Kyron and was about to continue, but that was when i spotted it.

"Stop," I said in a tone that didn't allow for disobedience. "It's a pressure plate," I explained when Kyron turned to me.

"And how would you know?" he snarked.

"Toorum's book," I answered. "It explained a lot of things to me. And while some of it might be speculations, I don't think anyone has ever knew more about Grimrock than Toorum. With the exception of the creators."

"So, what do you think will happen when we step on it?" asked Mist.

"I'm guessing that that grate will open, but I might be wrong."

"Do we test it then?" asked Astarael.

"Let's place that rock on it, shouldn't that work?" asked Mist pointing to a rock.

"Yes, but you could also use that rock as a weapon, couldn't you?" I mused.

But before he could reply, Kyron threw one of the torches he was carrying on the plate and the grate slid noisily up.

"Next time, warn us," I smacked him on the head. "These things could get us killed!"

"You, maybe, but not me," he sneered.

"Shut up you guys and let's go," Astarael sounded from near the grate that was now opened.

Mist grabbed the rock and was the first to follow. I was not far behind. However, Kyron was quick to push through and move to his spot next to Astarael. I glared at him for his rude behaviour. I didn't comment though. We already disliked each other anyway. No need to make it worse.

Right behind the grate was another intersection.

"Do we go right or straight?" asked Astarael, his question directed mainly at me.

I peered into the right corridor and frowned.

"I'd go right, I have a feeling that otherwise we would have to back track..." I said slowly.

Astarael nodded and turned right. The rest of us followed. There was a small alcove and there we found a key.

"I'm guessing we will need this?" smiled Astarael and grabbed it.

"Let's go then, we're waisting time!" said Kyron, very loudly, I might add.

"I suggest you keep your voice down, unless you want to get us all killed," snapped Astarael at him.

"Relax, there's nothing here," Kyron said.

"No, but there might be," said Astarael.

"Let's go," piped Mist.

And with that, Astarael again took the lead and we walked until we reached a woodden door.

"Let's see what happenes," smiled Astarael and slid the key in the keyhole. He turned it and then his eyes widened and he sucked in a sharp breath.

"What? What's wrong?" I asked.

"The key! It vanished!" Astarael breathed.

"Don't worry, I think it's normal. It's the magic of this place," I reassured him and then peeked through the opened door.

"Another intersection?" Mist sounded.

"Which way then?" asked Astarael when he regained his bearings after the vanishing act.

"Well, right is a grate with a keyhole, so I guess the key is to the left?" Mist suggested.

"Let's go then," suggested Astarael, who was still shaken from the vanishing act.

"Yeah," the group agreed and they all made their way left.

"Well, there's nothing here..." muttered Mist, dissapointment clearly visible on his face.

What about the writing?" asked Kyron.

"Loose rock?" I wondered. "What does that mean...?"

"Hum, and what about this?" Astarael said and pointed to a rock that was split at a corner.

"Of course!" I exclaimed. "Just like the first room!"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, before you guys woke up, I searched the place and found a button just like this one," I explained.

"So that's where the shuriken came from?" Mist asked.

"Yes," I nodded and then gestured to Astarael to press the button.

He did and a wall right next tous slid up. We were spooked a bit, expecting to be attacked, but there was nothing but a single key there.

"Okay, let's take that and move on," Kyron said and made a grab for the key.

"You sure we should trust _him_ with the key?" Mist stage whispered.

"I heard that!" the man snapped but there was no real bark in it.


End file.
